Inkjet vs. toner for envelopes

[metromike]

So I have been doing some research on replacing our toner based Xante envelope printer with another toner machine.

What are the pros and cons of inkjet and toner based for printing envelopes?

Quality? Color? Consistency? Speed?

[Possum]

Off the top of my head, one con for inkjet is that the ink will smear if the envelope gets damp at any time.

One pro for inkjet is that it tends to look more like offset printing and some customers will prefer that look.

[jwheeler]

Inkjet pros:

• Faster (8,000-10,000/hr vs 4,000-6,000/hr with toner)
• No pausing to adjust/warm up mid run
• Can print in full bleed
• Can print on standard window envelopes (no need for digital windows)
• Can print on unique envelopes like padded, or clasps
• Can print on other objects such as small cardboard boxes with more thickness since the print heads can often be raised.
• Must lower cost per print (usually less than $0.01 USD)

Toner Pros:

• Higher quality
• Text tends to be sharper, colors look more saturated since ink soaks into paper
• Will match the look/quality of letterhead, business cards, and other items you print for the customer
• Though it should be noted that most customers would be happy with the quality from either one and would only notice the difference if you held the same print from both machines side-by-side.